Interestingly, Evan Lysacek, another of Frank Carroll's former skaters, while forced to do Skate America after being US Champion, had CoC as his second event in 2007 & 2009, and I wonder whether this was a Frank Carroll "strategery".

I, admittedly, have not been following Evan's comeback too closely, but... he's not staying with Frank?!

Not so. In the US, the top person at US Nationals gets the top spot at Skate America, where they are feted as the US reigning champion.

Mirai got it the year she was US Champion (2008).

Now if your name was Rudy Galindo ...you have a point. In 1996, Rudy was US Champion and world bronze medallist in his first try at Worlds--and he didn't get Skate America, which he says is why he retired, in part. Of course, Todd Eldredge was world champion but not US champion in the 1996 season, but that was still the custom that the champion got the spot however he finished at worlds

The second & third slots at US Nationals are usually reserved for skaters who did not do well enough at Worlds to get one or 2 slots somewhere else. or are exciting up and comers, making their senior debut (think Gracie Gold this year) Rachael got Skate America in 2009 GP season because she was the reigning Junior World Champion, and got the "up & coming" slot.

In 2010 she got Skate America, because she was the reigning US champion.

This year she got it because she needed it & and because the rules changed so that up and comers who are of the correct age for Jr Worlds, who think they can make Jr. Worlds team but not the senior Worlds team, have to compete on the JGP, not the GP. This includes all girls too young for Senior Worlds in any case.

All the US seniors ahead of Rachael already have 2 slots. Mirai already has one slot. The girls down to 12th are all on the JGP. Consequently, the choice is, does Mirai get a 2nd slot, or does Rachael get a first one?

And because she didn't earn a world or 4CC's berth last year and needs the TES values to qualify for worlds, if in fact, she (very unlikely) made the US Worlds team this year, Rachael got the slot. If she isn't ready to go, USFS will probably give Mirai Rachael's spot, but that would be a week or two down the road when that choice would need to be made.

The girls on the JGP (who have already competed) can't go to Sr. Worlds under the current rules.

There are a tiny group of girls slated for JGP who haven't yet competed.

In order to compete at Worlds, Europeans, Four Continents or the Olympics, skaters must be 15 before July 1 of the preceding year

(which would be July 1 of this year)

Polina Edmunds who I think is too young for senior Worlds?, and would presumably like to go to Jr Worlds anyway.

Mariah Bell, Barbie Long & Yasmin Siraj
Bell & Long competed, but did not medal at US Juniors last year. Siraj was 15th in seniors.

So we really don't have a Gracie Gold in the wings this year, unless you count Polina Edmunds. And I think she's still 14; not old enough for 2013 Worlds. Could be wrong tho. I can't find a bio for her.

Not so. In the US, the top person at US Nationals gets the top spot at Skate America, where they are feted as the US reigning champion.

Mirai got it the year she was US Champion (2008).

Now if your name was Rudy Galindo ...you have a point. In 1996, Rudy was US Champion and world bronze medallist in his first try at Worlds--and he didn't get Skate America, which he says is why he retired, in part. Of course, Todd Eldredge was world champion but not US champion in the 1996 season, but that was still the custom that the champion got the spot however he finished at worlds

The second & third slots at US Nationals are usually reserved for skaters who did not do well enough at Worlds to get one or 2 slots somewhere else. or are exciting up and comers, making their senior debut (think Gracie Gold this year) Rachael got Skate America in 2009 GP season because she was the reigning Junior World Champion, and got the "up & coming" slot.

In 2010 she got Skate America, because she was the reigning US champion.

This year she got it because she needed it & and because the rules changed so that up and comers who are of the correct age for Jr Worlds, who think they can make Jr. Worlds team but not the senior Worlds team, have to compete on the JGP, not the GP. This includes all girls too young for Senior Worlds in any case.

All the US seniors ahead of Rachael already have 2 slots. Mirai already has one slot. The girls down to 12th are all on the JGP. Consequently, the choice is, does Mirai get a 2nd slot, or does Rachael get a first one?

And because she didn't earn a world or 4CC's berth last year and needs the TES values to qualify for worlds, if in fact, she (very unlikely) made the US Worlds team this year, Rachael got the slot. If she isn't ready to go, USFS will probably give Mirai Rachael's spot, but that would be several a week or two down the road when that choice would need to be made.

Thanks for the explanation.

But you did not really address why Rachael got SA four out of the last five years and Mirai only once.

How can I think it is anything other than US Skating propping up what they see as "the great white hope."

Via Twitter, Czisny is back on the ice. Not sure what level she is performing at, but she has recovered enough to begin skating again.

RD, did any junior girls move to senior and are any of them worth bothering over? I tried to watch the Junior GPs but I find myself slee-zzzzzzzz

Honestly, I don't keep up with junior ladies. That sounds like a question for Sylvia.

But...I do know that Courtney Hicks has returned (she was out last season with a broken leg) and is on the JGP. I think she will be skating senior at 2013 Nationals. She may possibly be one to keep an eye on moving forward.

Once in a while the U.S. Champion does not want Skate America. Johnny Weir opted out after each of his three national titles because Skate America came too early in the season. He went to three Cup of Russia events instead (his favorite country anyway).

Alissa went to Skate Canada -- her lucky charm -- in the season after her first U.S. title. I am not sure if she requested Skate America or not that year.

Mirai may like Cup of China for the same reason Bobrova & Soloviev seem to like it: China's 3 ladies (and 3 ice dancers) are no competition. A lady or ice dancer wanting to medal and/or make GPF, would prefer it to SA, CoR, NHK. The events with a shallow ladies field for the host fed are CoC, TEB, and Skate Canada. So there's a pattern beginning to show. The Chinese men are on the weaker side in many years, too.

Plus Mirai still has relatives in Japan. While it is a long side trip from China to Japan, it's a lot shorter than California to Japan, so she can achieve two goals with one move.

The flight is shorter from China to Japan and longer from California to Japan. In 2011, Mirai was at SCanada and CoC.

I had thought about the weaker field at different events, but China's ladies are on the upswing with Kexin Zhang and Zijun Li.
OTOH, the event can have all the strongest skaters such as TEB or rather the Trophee Die Bombard. With the french ladies as no competition, some of the strongest lady competitors have been there. I actually think that ISU did a very good job of balancing out the fields this year.